Fruit-drier.



E. T. ROBERTS. FRUIT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1912.

1,093,011 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2- SHBETS-SHBET 1.

E. T. ROBERTS.

FRUIT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED 2,4; 1912.

1,093,011, Patented Apr. 14, 1914;.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

EDWIN T. ROBERTS, F ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO.

FRU I'D-DRIER.

oosen.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ltat'eiitcd Apr. 314., inlet.

Application filed April 4, 1912. Serial No. 688,348.

To uh 'w/w/n it may concern Be it. known that; I, Eowix 'l. Ronnn rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roswell, in the county of (.lhaves and'State of New Mekico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l ruit-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in an apparatus for drying, fruit, and has for its object. to produce an apparatus of this character wherein the fruit to be dried is subjected to artificial heat.

lVith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

} In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of Big. 1. Fig. 3 a similar View on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail View. partly insertion. of one of the drying baskets.

The apparatus comprises a drying chamber 1. the same being preferably rectangular in cross section and is inclosed by spaced side. walls 9. thus producing a dead air space to more eli'ectually retain the heat in the chamber 1. Connected in any suitable manner to theside walls are end walls; 3. one of which serves for closing the rear of the chamber 1, while the other partially closes the trout of said chamber. Secured to the front wall 3 is a plate 5, having the (lOWIb wardly extending: llanaes (3, and when the plate 5 is in its proper positidh a smoke sta ck 7 is produced for conducting the products ot' combustion from the tire box of the. furnace 8 which is located below the front wall 3. lleat. from the furnace 8 is conducted to the chamber 1 through a pas sage-way f). A plate 10. the same being Formed in a manner similar to the plate .3, is connected to the rear wall Elfand produces a llue '11. the purpose ofwhirh will appear later. Access to the interior of the chamber 1 is had tl'll'OtlQ'll a. door-way 19, said doorway being formed in the lower ends of the rear wall 3 and plate 10. the same being closed l a sliding door 13, said door being;- eoutiter-balanced by weights '14 which are attached to words 15. over pulleys it} which are suitably mounted upon the outer wall of the flue ll, said cords bein g secured to the upper edge of the door 13. Mounted within the chamber 1 IS a pair The cords pass of spaced supports 17, the same consisting of a pair of downwardly diverging; legs 18, said legs being connected attheir upper ends by a brace bar 15), and intermediate their ends by a similar bar 20, both bars being provided with boxings 21 for receivin the opposite ends of upper and lower shafts 522 and 23. respectively. Mounted upon the shaft 22 is-a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 2- while similar sprocket wheels 25 are mounted upon the lower' shaft 23, and in direct alinemen't. with those carried by the upper shaft 2-2. Passing around the sprockets 2% and 25 are sprocket chains 26, certain links of which being provided on their outer faces with books 27, the purpose of which will appear later. Supported by the support 17 is a battle plate 27, which extends from the upper shaft to a short distance below the shaft 23, thus directingthe heat from the furnace 8 upwardly between the .front wall 3 and said battle plate and from thence downwardly where it ent rs the lower end of the fine. 11. Supported by one of the rear legs 18 of the support 17 are upper and lower bearings 28 and 29, respectively, and by whichare supported stub shafts 30 and 31. Fetal-ably mounted upon the stub shaft 30 is a groove pulley 32, while upon the stub shaft 31 is asimilarly mount.- ed groove pulley Over and around the groove pulleys is passed an endless cord or cable 34, which may be grasped upon opening of the door 13 and operated to rotate the r sprockets 24 and 25, and thus the sprocket chains 26. This operation is accomplished through a gear 35 which is rigidly connected to the pulley 32, and is adapted to mesh with the gear 36 formed with the upper sprocket. wheel 524i.

The baskets for receiving the fruit to be driedare formed from wire. mesh, and are designated by the numeral 3?. Each basket is provided with a plurality of wire mesh shelves 38, which are spaced apart so that the fruit may be easily deposited thereon. The baskets 37 have openings 38";tormed in their sides for placing and removing; the trait. Passing through opposite sides of the baskets 37 are shafts std, the ends of which being adapted. to detachably engage the hooks 27' carried by the links of the sprocket chains :28, thus pivotally suspending the baskets 37 between the sprocket chains 26 so that the same will, when traveling re main in their proper positions. The dome ill) i upper 41 for closing the top of the drying chamher 1. consists of a pair of spaced curved plates 42, which produce a dead air space for effectually retaining the heat within the said chamber.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The baskets 37 are filled with fruit to be dried, and one-at a time 'are suspemled upon the hooks 27 and the rope or cable 33- operated so that certain of" the baskets will be moved to a position in the space between the battle plate 27 and line 11, where they may remain stationary to be thoroughly dried. It will be noted that the fruit.

baskets during the drying are gradually moved so thatthey are tirst subjected to lesser heat from the furnace. and then upon operation of the rope or cable. 34, which retates the sprocket wheels 2-1 and 25 the baskets are moved upwardly and over the shaft 22,- and thence descend upon the opposite sides of the loatlle plate ing subjected to the intense heat. Thus it will be seen that a basket may be removed through the door- 'ay 12, and another one suspended in its place. Further it will be noted that the hooks 27 are so fOl'll'lCtl that l l l 27, tints bethe baskets 37 will be automatically released, as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1., point adjacent the door way 12 so same can be conveniently removed.

What is claimed is:

An apparatus of the class described comprising a drying chamber, supports 1nounted in the chamber, transverse shafts journaled in the supports pairs of sprocket wheels mounted upon the shafts, sprocket chains passing over and around the sprocket that the wheels, certain links of the sprocket chains being formed with hooks having spaced ends, fruit containing; baskets through which are passed shafts, the ends of which engage or disengage said hooks upon passage there of between the spaced ends, and means for rotating one of the sprocket wheels to cause the sprocket chains and baskets suspended thereby to travel.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses. EDWIN 'l. ltOltl llt/lh. Witnesses:

\VILLIAM It. Govnn'r, Vanna: GILL.

said baskets being released at a 

